Reversing switch



Jan. 3, 1928.

w. R. M CATHRAN REVERSING SWITCH Filed NOV. 24. 1922 2 .2541

Inv era-Ear Wamv Emwat/ m Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

uurrsn stares i A'ilEN'l OFFICE.

WILLIAM 'R. MoCATHRfiN, OF WASI-IIIISTGTOIT, DISTRICT COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR. TO WARTHEN TRAIN CONTROL CORPORATION, O1 YVASHINGTON, DISTRIO'IOF OOLUIVI- BIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

REVERSING SWITCH.

Application filed November 24, 1922. Serial No. scenes.

lVIy present invention relates to a reversing or directional switch.

In carrying out the present invention it my purpose to provide a reversing switch or directional switch for use in connection with a train controlling system, and by means of which current may be directed to either one of a set or pair of electric current influencing devices, according to which device of the set or pair is to be placed in service.

It is also my purpose to provide a switch of the character descril'ied which will embrace the desired features of etliciency,sim plicity and durability, which may be readily and conveniently connected to the reversing lever oi the valve motion of i'llBlOCOIilOlllVG and which will embody comparatively few parts, and these so arranged and correlated as to reduce the possibility o'tderangement to a minimum.

With the above recited objects in vieun-and others 01 a similar nature, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and talling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a reversing switch constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view therethrough.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

1 designates the reversing lever of the valve motion of the locomotive pivoted at its lower end upon a bolt 2, as usual, so that the reversing lever may be swung through its arc to properly actuate the valve motion so that the steam may be fed to the cylinders to drive the engine either forwardly or rearwardly. My improved switch embodies an arm 3 fixed at its lower end to the pivot bolt 2 of the reversing lever and having its upper end offset outwardly from the lever, as at 4, so as to be spaced apart therefrom and lie in a plane parallel with the plane 01 the lever. Bolted, as at 5, to the arm 4c and insulated from the arm is a curved plate 6 struck on an are having the pivot bolt 2 as its center. Fastened to the under side of the plate 6 is a strip of insulation 7 and to the lower side of the strip of insulation is fastened the continuous conductor strip 8 and conductor strip sections 9 and 10, the latter lying end to end and parallel with the strip 8 and having their adjacent ends insulated from each other, as at 11. Secured to the lever 1 the side thereof confronting the arm 3 is a block 12 arranged below the conductor strips 8, 9 and 10-, and fastened to the top of this block and insulated there :trom, but electrically connected to each other, are contactor strips 13, one of which has rubbing contact with the continuous con ductor strip f-l. while the other has similar contact with the strips 9 and 10. Thus, when the reversing lever 1 01 the valve motion is in one position the contactors 13 connect the strips 8 and 9 electrically, while when the lever 1 is moved to reverse position this connection is broken and an electrical connection established between the strips 8 and 10.

These strips 8, S) and 10 are equi; ped with binding posts 14., respectively. The binding posts 1% 01 the conductor strip sections 9 and 10 respectively are connected to the current influencing devices, while the binding post of the continuous conductor strip is connected in the circuit in which one or the other of such influencing devices is to be placed.

In the present instance, the electrically connected contactor fingers 13 are bolted to the block 12 by means 01 bolts 15 that extend through the contactor fingers and the block and surrounding the portions of the bolts within the block are. bushings 16 of insulating material, while interposed between the contactor fingers and the upper surface of the block is a strip of insulation 17. Thus, the contactor fingers are elieotively insulated from the block and from the reversing lever.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

In a reversing switch, the combination of a lever, a fixed supportalongside said lever, a plate fastened to said support and defining an are extending longitudinally in a plane parallel to the plane of the lever and having the pivot point of said lever as its center and disposed between the support and lever and with its ed es opposed to the support and lever, a continuous lengthwise concavo-convex conductor strip fastened to the concave side of said plate and insulated theretrom, lengthwise conceVo-convex conductor strip sections fastened to the same side of said plate in parallelism with the first mentioned strip and arranged in longitudinal nlinement and spaced apart and insulated from each other and from the lirstmentioned strip, a eontactor element for estahlishii'ig an electrical connection between, said eontinnous strip and either one of said strip sec- 10 tions, and a olook carrying SilHl cont-actor element and insulated therefrom and dis posed between the lever and support and rarried by and disposed laterally to the lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set, 5 my hand.

\VIDLlQ-khil R. M (iCA'lH R AN. 

